NVS vs JL Speakers

RoughRiverMike · Outlaw Joined: 08 Dec 2005 Posts: 107 City: louisville

Ok, Everyone loves NVS Tower speakers. I'm looking to get a new Xstar at the boat show this year. Their tower speakers are JL audio. I've heard them and werent extremely impressed, but it was only one pair and all of the speakers in the boat were being powered by one JL amp (6450). Obviousley they weren't getting much juice with 6 interior speakers 2 towers and a sub. I think at the boat show I can get some gear thrown in: like tower speakers. Can I add a big amp and 4 tower speakers to get the sound back to the rider in a big way. This is a bad time of year to get out and try open air sound. My last boat had 4 kickers and a nice kicker amp to power them. It was loud, but I need it better back at the rider. Any help is appreciated. : Rolling Eyes

acurtis_ttu · Soul Rider Joined: 16 Aug 2004 Posts: 499 City: Houston

I have a friend with (4) of the JL Mastercraft speakers…..they sound very good inside the boat, that’s about it. They are powered by the stock amp though. If you haven’t heard the NVS……they will blow away the JL’s. Do some research and try and understand the technology. It’s like comparing apples to oranges. The reason why the NVS are so much louder has to do with their sensitivity rating (efficiency) The JL speakers may have a sen. of 90 db maybe 92 db’s, while the NVS (when you combine the drivers with the horns have a sens. Of 100db) IT takes a doubling of power to raise the volume 3db’s. In other words you would need 2.5 times the power to get the same volume from the JL’s as the NVS. In order to get the same volume as 500 watts (nominal RMS needed) to the NVS pod you would need 1,250 watts the JL. This (power) would absolutely destroy the JL speaker. All of this is theory and I have not taken into account outside variable, but I hope you get the picture. Hope this helps.

RoughRiverMike · Outlaw Joined: 08 Dec 2005 Posts: 107 City: louisville

Thanks for the reply acurtis. That was a great explaination. Right now the JL's are in the price of the boat (only 2) and the retail on those comes in around 1,500 a pair. I guess I'll back that out and get the nvs for a little more. The JL cans do really look great on that tower, but the sound is what they are there for. Razz

acurtis_ttu · Soul Rider Joined: 16 Aug 2004 Posts: 499 City: Houston

I agree, the custom cans that mastercraft makes do look good. But if sound is what you want NVS are the way to go. Weight of the speakers can be an issue. each pod weighs around 35 lbs (1010's) also look into the addictions. similar set-up to the 1010's and should just as good and weigh less. And the JL's are way overpriced IMO. The NVS will look great on an x-star. Ther are quite a few pics on the NVS website. nvs1.net

89 skier · Addict Joined: 30 Jun 2004 Posts: 729 City: Dallas

Hands down, NVS are the best out there. Just like acurtis said, if you're concerned with the weight, get yourself a set of Addictions. I have those on my boat and I've heard nothing but good things from other people, unless they are the neighbors who live in the cove that we ride in.
I've had my boat on the same radio station as another boat with 4 Alpine speakers (well powered), and in the water behind the boats, I couldn't even here the Alpine speakers. NVS are boat speakers, just about everything else was originally designed for a car.
If you want to hear the music 100' behind your boat, and you want it to be crystal clear, NVS is the only way.